As of tomorrow we have been living outdoors for four weeks.  A whole month!  We've done a couple days and even a couple weeks but a whole month is a long time to live outside.  We LOVE it!!!!!

This adventure is definitely not for everyone and we are constantly asked: "How do you do it?"

Here is a quick run down of our tips and tricks to living outside in the middle of winter.

1.  Fleece is your friend.
Not flannel.  Fleece.  That wonderfully fuzzy fabric is an outdoor enthusiasts best friend.  We have several fleece blankets that we use in our double sleeping bag (more on that later).  A queen size blanket on the bottom to block the cold, another for each of us to wrap up in and smaller ones to go around our pillows.

Fleece is what lines our mid-weight long johns.  There are other options for long johns and you might make the mistake of getting the extreme cold version but don't!  Mid-weight is all you need since you should be layering your clothing anyway.  And, speaking of layering - a fleece pullover is a must!  It does a much better job of block the cold and wind than a sweatshirt does.  Fleece is our choice of fabric for our...

2. Hats!
Not just any hat - warm beanies (Darren's choice) and snuggly ear flap hats (my choice).  Day and night these little fabric wonders keep us warm.  With night time temperatures in the low 20's sleeping in our hats is a must.

I love my UGA hat!!

3. Double 0* sleeping bag
You're sleeping outside in the middle of winter - DO NOT skimp on your sleeping bag!!!  We have a double sleeping bag, also called an Adan & Eve sleeping bag.  It is rated for 0 degrees.  When you combine the sleeping bag with the fleece blankets (we've already covered their awesomeness) it is so warm you forget that you're outside.  We've actually tested the outside vs. inside the bag temps.  Outside one day was 27*, inside our sleeping bag it was 90*.  Now THAT'S warm!!

4. Tents and heaters
I know a lot of winter campers use a four season tent but the thought of crawling in and out of such a tent for two months was anything but appealing.  We use the same tent now that we use in the summer - the Coleman Vacationer.  With a bedroom, screen "porch" and 8 ft ceiling this is the most comfortable living space for the amount of time we are spending in it.  The screen porch area can also be used as additional sleeping space when any of the kids are with us and we don't want to pitch another tent for just a night or two.

Our Mess Tent, as the kitchen/living tent is called, is a pop up canopy with windscreen and netting attached.  The Mess Tent is the main gathering area when we aren't around the campfire.

Both tents have the Big Buddy Indoor heater.  This heater lets off some heat!  We can do from 20* to 70* in under 5 minutes.  Nothing like taking the chill off first thing in the morning.

5. A campfire!!
And finally, the trusty campfire.  Used for both warmth and cooking if we didn't have the campfire this whole adventure would be miserable!  The best way to spend a cool Sunday afternoon is around the campfire enjoying the company of family and friends.  S'mores, of course, are a must along with clam chowder or Hobo Stew.  Yum!!

We have truly been enjoying our time with Mother Nature.  The brisk mornings, sunny afternoons and cool evenings are all a blessing that we would not have fully enjoyed if we had the creature comforts of a brick and mortar home.

From our home to yours we wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wendall the Reindeer and our Christmas tree.  Yup, we put a tree up in the Mess Tent!